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PaQuí Tequila (Silvera)

The name, PaQuí, is derived from the ancient Aztec language and means ‘to be happy’. PaQuí (Pa’key) Tequila, then would be a tequila brand whose marketing emphasis would be focused on the fun and enjoyment of the tequila experience.

According to the information sent to me, PaQuí is handcrafted in small batches in the town of Tequila, Mexico, where the master distiller uses a process called Selective Distillation. This process separates the heart of the distillation resulting in a very pure tequila. This new brand is a result of extensive market research which sought to establish the credentials luxury tequila drinkers seek in a fine tequila, and to bring such a product to market.

I was contacted by the firm, Maury Rogoff, PR and Marketting, (I assume they were engaged by Tequila Holdings Ltd.) who sent me press release information regarding PaQuí Tequila, and requested a review of their Silvera. The sample bottle arrived in my possession about six weeks later, and after several sessions of tasting I can now share the results of my review:

In the Bottle: 5/5

The presentation of PaQuí Silvera Tequila is very attractive. The bottle arrives in a beautiful cardboard box which mirrors the bottle presentation and opens from the front to allow you to display the bottle within the box for your guests to enjoy. The decanter inside oozes style and luxury. In fact, it is one of the nicest decanter/bottles I have encountered. They even got the cork right as the bottle is topped by a high density synthetic cork which provides a nice satisfying ‘pop’ when the PaQuí is opened.

In the Glass 8.5/10

Upon pouring the glass I noticed a light sheen on the sides of my vessel which indicated the presence of a light oil. The Tequila has no colour at all, that is to say, it has, to my eye at least, perfect clarity. The aroma from the glass is laid back. An earthy agave scent is present; but it does not jump from the glass, rather it seeps out slowly. Very light citrus tones follow, but they do not try to assault the nostrils, rather they lie very gently in the breezes. At this point I would describe PaQuí Silvera as a very gentle approachable spirit.

In the Mouth 50/60

The gentle laid back style continues into the mouth. At the forefront of the flavour is an earthy agave and fruit. The flavour carries buttery nuances as well as a light citrus zest behind the agave fruit. The tequila has a vegetal quality, with the agave carrying more herbal tones than spice. In fact, the peppery spice which is at the forefront of most tequila I have tried, is pushed somewhat into the background here. Whether this laid back style is due to a filtering process, or whether it is due to the selective distillation process I am unsure. In any case what remains is a Tequila spirit with a soft Vodka-like delivery. The harshest elements are absent but the heart of the agave remains. I continue to believe that this spirit is extremely approachable for any spirits lover, but I also believe that the sharper spices which have been polished and buffed into submission will be missed by the veteran Tequila aficionado.

In the Throat 12.5 /15

The finish is very subdued with a mineral oil finish. There is no burn at all, and the agave leaves subtle traces of its presence in the throat. I usually hope for a little more kick than this spirit has, but I can definitely understand the appeal of a Tequila which is easy to sip and easy on the throat.

The Afterburn 9/10

Soft, gentle, mellow, and subdued are not normally adjectives I would use to describe Tequila. But that is exactly what we have in the bottle of PaQuí Silvera. If I were to introduce Tequila to a vodka or rum lover, then this would probably be the place to start.

You may read some of my other Tequila Reviews (click the link) if you wish to have some comparative reviews.

PaQuí Silvera Tequila strikes me as a spirit which will be very versatile in the realm of mixology. With the vodka-like delivery, I believe we can march off the beaten path of traditional Tequila drinks and explore a cocktail experience which would normally be reserved for Vodka. Having said that, I will however, begin with a traditional Tequila recipe. The Margarita, but I shall give the cocktail a little twist, by introducing Louis Alexandre Grand Marnier into the recipe rather than Triple Sec. This premium Grand Marnier will add a touch of sophistication to my Margarita.

Rub the rim of the glass with the lime slice.
Rim the outside of the glass with salt.
Shake the other ingredients with ice.
Carefully pour into the salted glass.
Garnish with a lime and serve over ice.

A Vodka cocktail I like to experiment with is the Cosmopolitan. There is something about cranberry and lime juice which works really well for my palate. When I made the following Cosmopolitan style cocktail using PaQui Tequila instead of Vodka at a gathering of friends on a hot Sunday afternoon the response was overwhelmingly positive.

0-25 A spirit with a rating this low would actually kill you.
26-49 Depending upon your fortitude you might actually survive this.
50 -59 You are safe to drink this…but you shouldn’t.
60-69 Substandard swill which you may offer to people you do not want to see again.
70-74 Now we have a fair mixing Tequila. Accept this but make sure it is mixed into a cocktail.
75-79 You may begin to serve this to friends, (we are probably still cocktail in territory).
80-84 We begin to enjoy this spirit neat or on the rocks. (I will still primarily mix cocktails)
85-89 Excellent for sipping or for mixing delicious cocktails!
90-94 Definitely a primary sipping spirit, in fact you may want to hoard this for yourself.
95-97.5 The Cream of the Crop
98+ I haven’t met this bottle yet…but I want to.

Very loosely we may put my scores into terms that you may be familiar with on a Gold, Silver, and Bronze medal scale as follows: